Firefighter Accused Of Killing Deputy Wife Then Taking His Own Life

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE (CBSLA.com) — Detectives believe a firefighter shot his wife, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, dead at their La Cañada Flintridge home and later took his own life.

Deputies were sent around 10 p.m. on Sunday to a home located in the 5000 block of Crown Avenue after passersby told police they heard a woman screaming and sobbing.

Authorities walked into the home and discovered a 32-year-old woman dead from a gunshot wound.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department identified her as Cecilia Hoschet, a deputy sheriff who worked for their department for the past two years at the Inmate Reception Center of the L.A. County jail.

“We lost a wonderful deputy last night,” Sheriff Jim McDonnell said Monday in a statement. “Deputy Hoschet impressed everyone she met at the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department with her positive and helpful approach to her work. She will be missed.”

A preliminary investigation revealed Hoschet’s husband, who was a firefighter that worked with the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) for six years, entered the home and allegedly shot her.

Fire officials have identified the husband as James M. Taylor.

(credit: Facebook)

“The suspect then fled the scene and drove to Los Angeles County Fire Facility in Pacoima where he killed himself,” Deputy Mike Barraza said. “The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

Police were called after someone spotted his body in a car and they notified the detectives investigating Hoschet’s death. They recovered a weapon at the scene.

“Today is a sad day for all public safety personnel in L.A. County,” LACFD Chief Daryl L. Osby said. “On behalf of the entire Fire Department, we extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends facing the pain of their loss. Our thoughts are with everyone who was impacted by this tragedy.”

According to deputies, the couple’s 6-year-old son was home during the shooting, but was not injured. His father took him to a relative’s house before driving to the fire department facility where his body was later found.

“It’s just terrible that a small child like that would lose both parents,” neighbor Betty Weller told CBS2/KCAL9’s Jeff Nguyen.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear.

“As we continue to learn more, we thank all of the entities involved for their assistance and will continue to support our brothers and sisters in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department,” Osby said.

Anyone with information regarding this incident has been urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.